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The individual widgets appear in Activity Monitor as separate processes called "<widgetname> Dashboard Client" (e.g. "Calendar Dashboard Widget", "Flight Tracker Dashboard Client" and so on), and these can be shut down if they are misbehaving.
The widgets could be running in the background eating resources if not written properly. Also they can be updating in the background, so check dashboard. You're likely to be seeing the latest weather, stock prices or whatever else your widgets are doing.
If all else fails, you should have a file named com.apple.dashboard.client.plist in your Preferences folder, drag it to the Desktop and reboot.
homefolder~library/preferences/

When all else fails, try everything!The Rep System and you.Life's a joke...If you're not laughing, then you didn't get it.